Residents fight El Dorado Nature Center cuts

LONG BEACH - A petition to save programs at the El Dorado Nature Center had gathered more than 940 written and online signatures by Monday, organizers said.

City officials have detailed plans to cut more than 19 percent of the El Dorado Nature Center budget in the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

The reductions amount to a 35 percent cut in programming money at the 105-acre nature preserve in East Long Beach, according to the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department, scaling back or doing away with staff-led classes, events and environmental programs and instead relying on private partners or volunteers to fill the void.

"We've got 160 parks. We have six dog parks. We only have one Nature Center," Cantrell said.

"It's important for kids to have this ability to see what a natural environment looks like."

Separately from but connected to the program losses, park rangers at El Dorado Regional Park would move to a peak Friday, Saturday and Sunday schedule, slicing $235,351 from the budget.

In total, $2.8 million is slated to be sliced off the parks budget next year.

The largest part of that, $1.3 million, would come from ending city-run youth programs at 13 parks in more affluent areas of Long Beach in favor of maintaining those in places considered at risk.

"The cuts are all painful," said George Chapjian, director of the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department.

Chapjian pointed out that though nine part-time positions at the El Dorado Nature Center are targeted for layoffs, there will still be nine employees staffing the location, and the budget preserves maintenance for landscaping, grounds and irrigation.

He said the preserve will be a more "passive" space, but added, "There's still a budget in there."

The proposed plan allots $585,665 for the center next year, with $500,000 coming from the city and the rest from revenue, officials said.

This year's budget is $725,052 and includes a general fund subsidy of $641,000, according to officials.

Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske on Friday announced a blueprint to use $17.2 million in oil revenue and other sources to restore many cuts announced by the city.

The plan includes $364,000 to cushion reductions at the El Dorado Nature Center and in adaptive recreation and senior programs.

Some officials, including Mayor Bob Foster, have strongly opposed using surplus funds for continuing costs because they say it compounds future deficits.

The Long Beach City Council will convene at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in special session to discuss a variety of budget issues, including decreases at parks.

The meeting will be held in Council Chambers at City Hall, 333 W. Ocean Blvd.